Ukraine and partners consider joint defense production

Ukraine and its partner states have agreed to establish a defense production mechanism, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced following the June 4 Ramstein-format meeting, an international coalition of countries formed to coordinate military aid to Ukraine.

The project is being initiated by Western capitals, which have offered to help Ukraine build a new defense industry owned by Ukrainian defense companies, Ukrainska Pravda reports.

“Our partners approached me with whether Ukrainian companies could set up production facilities in their countries to manufacture advanced products. They are ready to fully fund the production, and the output will be sent to Ukraine for as long as the war lasts,” Umerov said.

The initiative is currently at the conceptual stage and still being finalized, with a focus on mutual investment between countries.

“Under this initiative, Ukrainian manufacturers can invest in partner states, and companies from partner states can build their mega-factories in Ukraine,” the minister said.

The project does not yet have an official name.

“We are calling it the Ramstein Defense Industrial Initiative for now — but it’s a strategic shift,” Umerov said.

It remains unclear which countries have expressed interest in joining the initiative.

“However, one part of the initiative — related to production inside Ukraine — has already received public support from German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who advocated for manufacturing long-range weapons in Ukraine,” Ukrainska Pravda adds.

Earlier, at the Ramstein meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged partners to invest more in Ukraine’s defense industry.